Chapter 17: School Arc (1)

Location: New York, Forest Hills

Timeline: August 26, 1947

Time: 5 AM in the Morning

It's early in the morning, and my father, being a policeman, is up early as usual because, you know, police are always busy 24/7. And yes, my mother is also up early to cook food for my father. Where am I, you may ask? Well, I'm still in my room, thinking about where I should put my 500 experience points. And just a note, School was starting at 8:00 AM, so I had a couple of hours to figure it out.

I mentally summoned the system to display my status, and like clockwork, a translucent hologram popped up in front of me, showing all my stats.

A transparent window hologram suddenly show up in front of me

Name: Michael Wilson (formerly Jonathan Anderson)

Nationality: American

Age:

Physically: 15 years old

Mentally: 27 years old

Attributes:

Strength: 47

Agility: 35

Endurance: 48

Stamina: 43

Intelligence: 38

Reflexes: 40

Charisma: 30

Luck: 28

Skills:

Enhance Spider-Sense

Enhance Wall-Crawling

Enhance Organic Web

Enhance Detective Skills

Available Points:

Experience Points: 500

Shop Points: 1 million points

Technique Skills:

Boxing: Master level

Taekwondo: Master level

Kungfu: Master level

Systema: Master level

Street Fight: Master level

Now, with all this important stuff in front of me, I thought hard about where to put my 500 experience points. After thinking a lot, I decided to add 100 to my agility. You see, agility is like how fast and nimble I am. By boosting it, I could move quicker, which is super important for saving people and dodging fast attacks. Imagine if I could zip around like lightning!

Then, I put another 100 into my intelligence. Being smarter could help me figure out tough situations and think fast. You know, like solving puzzles or coming up with clever plans to catch the bad guys. Plus, it's not just about fighting bad guys; sometimes, I need to outsmart them too.

I also gave 100 points to my stamina. Stamina is like my energy to keep fighting. Just like Captain America says, "I can do this all day." By increasing my stamina, I could keep going for longer without getting tired. That means I could help people for as long as they need me, without needing a break.

Lastly, I added 100 to my endurance. Endurance is kind of like toughness and resilience. Without endurance, my stamina wouldn't be much use. So, I wanted to make sure they matched up. It's like having a strong foundation; with good endurance, I could handle whatever comes my way, whether it's a long fight or a tough challenge.

Name: Michael Wilson (formerly Jonathan Anderson)

Nationality: American

Age:

Physically: 15 years old

Mentally: 27 years old

Attributes:

Strength: 47

Agility: 45

Endurance: 58

Stamina: 53

Intelligence: 58

Reflexes: 40

Charisma: 30

Luck: 28

Skills:

Enhance Spider-Sense

Enhance Wall-Crawling

Enhance Organic Web

Enhance Detective Skills

Available Points:

Experience Points: 100

Shop Points: 1 million points

Technique Skills:

Boxing: Master level

Taekwondo: Master level

Kungfu: Master level

Systema: Master level

Street Fight: Master level

After putting those experience points where I wanted them, I suddenly felt different than before.

And looking at my new stats, I felt really good. My agility and smarts got a big boost. It meant I could move faster and think quicker, which is perfect for being Spider-Man. I could swing around the city even better now and deal with tricky situations without breaking a sweat.

Furthermore, the boosts to my stamina and endurance meant that I could keep going in fights for much longer without getting tired. This would be really helpful when I have to deal with tough enemies or handle extended crises without getting worn out.

With a sense of satisfaction, I headed to the shower to freshen up before school.

After a refreshing shower, I got dressed in my school uniform and headed downstairs to join my family for breakfast. The aroma of pancakes and freshly brewed coffee filled the air, adding to the cozy atmosphere of our home.

"Good morning, everyone," I greeted, taking a seat at the table.

"Morning, Michael," my father replied with a warm smile, setting down his newspaper. "Sleep well?"

I nodded, pouring myself a cup of coffee. "Yeah, feeling ready for the day ahead," I replied, trying to sound as upbeat as possible.

My mother placed a plate of pancakes in front of me, her expression full of maternal warmth. "Here you go, dear. Eat up. You'll need your energy for school," she said, her voice gentle and caring.

As I ate my breakfast, I looked at my dad, wanting to ask him something.

"Dad," I began, swallowing a mouthful of pancakes, "do you have rest day as a police officer, it seems like you always busy"

My dad paused for a moment, considering my question thoughtfully. "Well, Michael, being a police officer is a demanding job, that's for sure," he replied, his tone serious yet reflective. "But even though it might seem like I'm always busy, I do get some days off now and then."

He took a sip of his coffee before continuing. "You see, son, being a police officer means being there for the community whenever they need us, whether it's day or night. Crime doesn't take a break, so neither can we," he explained, a hint of weariness in his voice.

"But, Dad, sometimes there is no crime, so shouldn't you have some break or something?" I questioned.

"Well, sure, sometimes there is no crime, but we can't predict what lies ahead, son. What if tomorrow there is a terrorist or some criminals? What I'm saying is, a police officer always protects people every day, with or without criminals, understand?" he responded.

My dad's words resonated with me, and I nodded in understanding. "I get it, Dad," I replied, my tone serious. "Being a police officer is about more than just reacting to crime. It's about being prepared for whatever might happen and being ready to help people no matter what."

He smiled, a sense of pride evident in his eyes. "Exactly, son," he said, his voice filled with warmth. "It's about serving and protecting our city, even on the quiet days."

Instead, I nodded, taking in his words with a sense of reverence. As the son of a police officer and the one and only Spider-Man, I knew all too well the importance of embracing life's uncertainties and facing them head-on.

As I finished my breakfast, I felt ashamed of myself for not fully understanding the weight of responsibility that came with being a police officer. In my world, when I was just Jonathan Anderson, I wasn't a police officer—I was just your typical office worker, going about my daily routine without much thought to the challenges and dangers faced by a police officers like my dad. And I couldn't help but feel a appreciation for the dedication and sacrifice that came with being a police officer

"I gotta go now, see you champ," said Dad, rising from the table with a affectionate smile.

"Bye, Dad. Take care," I replied, returning his smile with a nod of gratitude and understanding.

After Dad went to work, I helped Mom around the house before school. We worked together, like a team, getting things done. It felt good to help out.

"Thanks for helping out, honey," my mother said, wiping her hands on her apron with a grateful smile. "You're such a big help around here."

I smiled back, "No problem, Mom. Anything for you," I replied, giving her a quick hug before grabbing my backpack and heading out the door.

As I strolled to school, my head was filled with thoughts about my duties as Spider-Man and being a Student. Balancing both was tough, but I was determined to give it my all in both roles.

As I got to Midtown High School, everything looked just as usual. Students were talking and laughing in the halls, teachers were getting ready for class, and the school's mascot, a lion, stood proudly in the courtyard, keeping an eye on us all.

I made my way to my locker to stash my backpack before class, passing by familiar faces along the way. There were my friends: Mark Fletcher, Chris Hilton, and Emily Hawkins. Now, Chris and Emily come from wealthy families, unlike Mark. Mark's situation is different; he comes from a less privileged background. Despite that, he's here because of his intellect; he earned a scholarship to attend this school. He's tall and skinny, wears glasses, your typical nerd.

As for me, I also received a scholarship. I guess you could say the old me got scholarship. My family is neither rich nor poor, just a normal family. My father is a policeman, but that doesn't mean we're wealthy, okay?

And then there's Chris, despite his wealth, as always, his hair is messy, like a mop of unruly hair.

And Emily, well, she's pretty, but not really my type. Plus, both Emily and Mark, my best friend, are actually dating, so that's another reason.

As they approach me, Mark greeted me, "Hey there, Michael, remember our promise?"

"Yeah, how about after classes we can hang out," I said to Mark. I didn't hang out with him before you know in the chapter 14, so yeah this is to make up for that day.

"Sure thing, sounds like a plan," Mark replied with a smile, adjusting his glasses. "How about we go grab those burgers I mentioned before, Michael? You know, the ones from that new place downtown. I assure you, they're really good."

Chris joined in, looking at Mark with a playful expression. "Hey, Mark, you never told me about those burgers, only Michael," he said, pretending to be a little sad. "I'm feeling left out here!"

Emily joined the conversation, giving Mark a playful nudge. "I mentioned it to Mark the other day and even invited him out, but he said he already knew. So, it seems like he told Michael but not me, his girlfriend, and he didn't invite me out either!" she said, pretending to pout.

Mark quickly responded, trying to smooth things over. "Hey, don't be upset with me, Emily, Chris. I promise I'll make it up to all of you," he said earnestly, his tone apologetic.

As my friends continued joking around, I couldn't help but grin at how well we got along. Even though we come from different backgrounds, we've become really close. It's only been four months since I arrived in this world, but these friendships mean a lot to me. They help me feel secure when things are tough and bring me happiness when things are going well.

Another reason for our strong bond is that the original Michael and I have fused, so you could say I know his feelings, memories, and everything about him. Our shared experiences make these friendships feel even more familiar and meaningful to me. It's like I've known them for much longer than just four months.

"Okay, okay, dont tease him like that, you guys," I jumped in, wanting to get the conversation back on topic. "How about this, we can all go grab those burgers after school, deal?"

My friends agreed with nods and smiles, and we made plans to meet up at the new burger joint downtown once classes were over.

After making our plans, we all went to our classes 

As I sat in my first period class, the teacher assigned to us was none other than Mrs. Bridget herself. Now I can't help but thinking about back then, Helping Mrs. Bridget and facing off against Roberto had reminded me once again of the responsibilities that came with being Spider-Man.

I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride knowing that I had helped one of my teachers in her time of need.

I spotted Ken Bridget sitting at the front of the class, paying close attention to his mom's teaching. Seeing how lucky he was to have a teacher as his mom and a police officer as his dad, I felt a bit envious at first. But then I remembered how lucky I am to have great parents too. Ken's popular, good at basketball, and gets attention from girls, plus he's really a mommas boy.

I'm good-looking too, but I deliberately tone down my appearance because my charisma attribute is a little bit high you know 30, but also isn't considered that very high. You see, celebrity-level looks are around 50, while an average look is about 10. Strange, I know, but that's what the system says. So, I asked the system to tweak my facial features to make them less striking, aiming for a more average look, though still slightly more attractive than before. I've stopped wearing nerdy glasses and also I still stick to my usual hairstyle—blond hair styled in curtains. I prefer not to attract too much attention to myself, especially since I'm Spider-Man and need to keep a low profile.

Then suddenly, someone called out, "Michael, Michael!" It was Mrs. Bridget, our teacher. "You never seem to pay attention in my class, huh, Michael?" she remarked.

"Sorry, Mrs. Bridget," I said with an awkward chuckle, feeling caught off guard by her call. "I guess I was just lost in my own thoughts for a moment there."

Mrs. Bridget regarded me with a patient smile before continuing, "Well, now that you're back with us, could you please answer this question for the class?"

As Mrs. Bridget asked the question, I felt a surge of panic and frustration. All eyes were on me, waiting for an answer. Inside in my mind, I scolded myself for not paying attention

Under my breath, I cursed, worried Mrs. Bridget might hear. "School is such a drag," I whispered to myself.

To be Continued